Oil vs. Lotion – Which One Do You Use?

March 12, 2013 by Alia 18 Comments

Do you use a moisturizer on your face or skin at least once a day? My guess is that most of you do, even if you are one of the lucky ones who does not suffer from dry skin. Assuming you do use a moisturizer, what do you use? Oil or lotion? Or, do you use a combination?

My Daily Routine

For as long as I could remember, I have used a moisturizer on my face. I have tried various different creams and lotions to treat my dry skin and keep it hydrated.

Then, some time ago, I learned how to put together a face oil. I tried it on my face and I loved it! I was so anxious about applying an oil to my face. Fortunately, it turned out great and I was so happy to have found a moisturizer to use on my face that didn’t cost me an arm and a leg at the store! Plus, I could make this on my own.

A few months ago, I tried a sample of Suti’s Nourishing Oil. I liked it even more than the one I had made. The scent was lovely and it made my skin feel great.

Finally, a few weeks ago, I had a facial. It was pointed out to me that my skin was a bit dry. What?! How could it be? It certainly didn’t feel dry to me! Yet, after an hour of exfoliating, steaming and moisturizing, I could feel a marked difference in my skin. It felt so smooth! I even received a few comments on how great my skin looked. I left the spa with a jar of Pure Creations’ Emollient Wheat Germ Cream that was used on my face. It’s a rich cream and good for moisturizing my skin during the dry winter months. I’ve used it once a day ever since the facial and my skin still feels great. Stay tuned to my blog for a full review on this product!

And all of this lead me to ask which is better, lotion or oil? Did I make a wrong turn when I started using a face oil?

Lotion

There are so many lotions and creams available on the market. They can have all kinds of additives, like Vitamin E and oils that are beneficial for our skin (my most recent favorite oil to use is Kukui Nut Oil). Lotions come in varying degrees of greasiness. The ideal lotion is one that doesn’t leave a greasy film on your skin.

Lotions are designed to penetrate the skin. This allows your skin to absorb all of the great ingredients in that lotion, thus replenishing the look and feel of your skin.

Oil

Body and face oils are used widely in certain parts of the world. Like lotion, they can contain oils that are beneficial for your skin. Where oils differ from lotion is that they tend to prevent moisture from leaving your skin. However, they are not necessarily designed to penetrate your skin like a lotion.

Check out these links to learn more about the differences between lotion and oil.

http://www.rodale.com/moisturizers

http://www.vivawoman.net/2009/11/24/is-oil-better-than-a-moisturizing-lotion/

Baby’s Skin

The best test I’ve found was on my son’s skin. Like many babies, he had dry spots on his skin in the first few weeks following his birth. I used a bit of coconut oil on them and for the most part, they went away. However, there were a few very persistent spots that the coconut oil simply would not address. On a whim, I tried a wee bit of lotion that I had made. It was very basic and did not have any essential oils in it. Surprisingly, it worked immediately and eliminated those pesky dry spots. I couldn’t believe it!

Oil vs. Lotion – The Verdict

So, which one is best? Well, it depends! Both oils and lotions have their place in providing extra moisture for your skin. Right now, I use an oil on my face in the morning and a cream on my face at night before bed. That combination has worked great during the dry months of winter. I have no doubt that I will have to change that routine when the weather warms up a bit and it’s not so dry.